


Good Times Bad Times

by stilameski



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Boys In Love, College Student Castiel, College Student Dean, F/M, Fluff and Smut, High School Student Sam, M/M, Male Slash, Male-Female Friendship, Past Character Death, Smut, Teen Angst
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-12-26
Updated: 2016-01-30
Packaged: 2018-05-09 11:52:38
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,352
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5538845
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/stilameski/pseuds/stilameski
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>This is a Destiel College/University AU in which Dean and Castiel are terribly but unknowingly in love with each other.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1**

 

Ever since he was a teenager, Dean Winchester had always been so predictable in the eyes of his best friend, Castiel Novak. Cas alway's wondered how on earth he could understand someone else so deeply, when half the time he couldn't even understand himself. But the point was, Cas always knew when Dean was having an off day, and the first Tuesday of May, 2014 was one of those days.  
  
"How about this shirt? Or maybe I should wear the flannel-" Castiel paused mid sentence and looked up at his best-friend. Dean had stopped listening to him awhile ago now and was staring at the pile of books on Cas' floor, his mind clearly somewhere else.  
  
"Dean?"  
  
Silence. Cas frowned, and made his way over to his bed, where Dean was leaning inattentively against the wall, his feet dangling over the edge. Dean was supposed to be helping Cas pick out a shirt to wear to his father's dinner party tonight, because in Dean's eyes, Cas didn't know the difference between casual and professional; referring to that one time in Senior year where Cas was told to dress professionally for his college interview and showed up in trousers, a trench coat and a tie.  
  
"Dean?" Cas placed a hand on Dean's shoulder, "Are you alrigh-"

Dean's eyes blinked a few times before he finally remembered where he was. Cas dropped his hand.

"Hey, Cas. Ah yeah, I'm fine?" he said questionably, as if almost doubting his mental state, which Cas seemed to think he did a lot.

Cas furrowed his eye brows at Dean, not buying any word of it. Usually, Cas could read Dean like a book; but today was different. Something was seriously up with him. Cas decided to shrugg it off to avoid any arguments, he knew Dean hated it when people tried to get him to open up. He didn't like talking about his feelings, and Cas couldn't help but think that maybe it wasn't that he didn't like doing it, but instead, that he just didn't know how.  
  
"Right. Well, we've been here two hours and I still don't know what shirt to wear." he exclaimed, heading back over to his closet.  
  
Dean looked over at Cas, who was busy sifting through his closet, and something inside of him exploded. Dean had known he was gay since Sophomore year and had been in love with Castiel since the start of Junior year. Of course, Castiel didn't know. Like hell he would tell his best friend, the only person that truly understood him; Dean had lost so many people and he wasn't going to let Cas be one them.  
  
"Pull out that Italian red one from Leonardo's." Dean said, as he stood up and walked over to where Cas was standing.  
  
"You know red doesn't look good on me, Dean." Cas sighed in frustration. He was so close to saying "screw it, let's just go see a movie," but he knew how much this dinner meant to his father. Although the fact that him and his father argued a lot could've quite possibly overruled that thought.  
  
"Anything looks good on you, Cas. Now stop whining and try it on."  
  
Cas rolled his eyes and pulled his shirt up and over his head, his toned stomach instantly catching Dean's attention. Dean was the type of guy that was way to into girls for it to be real; he used girls to hide the fact that he was gay, and even though he hated it, it worked; and that was all that mattered.  
  
"Dean?"  
  
Cas' voice snapped Dean back to reality, where he was still looking at Cas' now covered up stomach. He cleared his throat loudly and frowned.  
  
"Uh yeah, yeah that's the one." Dean scratched the back of his neck awkwardly, as Cas muttered a quiet "okay".  
  
"Hey, uh, Dean?" Cas frowned as he fumbled with the buttons. Dean looked up, and couldn't help but smirk at Castiel struggling with his shirt buttons.  
  
"Jesus, Cas. Do I have to _everything_ for you?" he joked.  
  
Cas looked up at him with puppy dog eyes, "It's stuck" he grumbled.

Dean laughed and walked over to Cas. Dean was six feet tall and was more built than Castiel, but he thought it was kind of cute that Cas was a little shorter than him, and a lot less stronger too.

  
"Your thread is hooked around your button." Dean laughed.  
  
Cas watched closely as Dean moved closer, and reached his hands down to Cas' faulty shirt button. He fumbled with it for a while, cursing a few times and regretting the fact that he cut his nails yesterday night. Cas looked up at Dean, who had his concentration face on, and took a moment to take in all of Dean's features. His sharp jaw line, his deep green eyes and his perfectly shaped lips. Definitely model material, Cas thought.  
  
"Right, done." Dean said proudly, looking up to meet Castiel's gaze. Dean had only been rendered speechless twice in his life; the night his mother passed away, and now. Cas tried to search Dean's eyes for an emotion, but like always, Dean was empty. Dean pierced his lips together in frustration, he was so close, all he'd have to do is move a little closer and then-  
  
' _there ain't no rest for the wicked, and money don't grow on trees_ ' Dean mentally groaned to himself as the sound of his ringtone broke the silence. Cas stepped back and quickly dropped his gaze to the floor.  
  
"What, Sammy?" Dean grumbled. His little brother was so going to get it when he got home.  
  
"The principles office? What the hell are you doing there?" Cas looked up, his eyes focusing on the pulsating muscle in Dean's cheek.  
  
"Alright, yeah I'm coming. Just give me half an hour." Dean hung up the phone and grabbed his varsity jersey off Cas' bed.  
  
"Something wrong?" Cas asked curiously.  
  
"Sam got suspended for fighting at school, he needs someone to pick him up."  
  
Cas frowned, "What about your dad, can't he do it?"  
  
Dean scoffed, and ran a hand through his hair. "He's on a business trip in Michigan or something."  
  
"Wait. Sam, got into a fight?"

"I was going to congratulate him but now I have to haul ass back to high school, so maybe not."  
  
Cas laughed, and nodded his head towards the door. "Well you better get going if you want to beat the traffic."

"I think 'now get the fuck out' would've stung a little less" Dean joked.  
  
Cas smiled, and Dean almost died from shock.  
  
"Right then, see you tomorrow." He called as he headed out the door.

"Tell Sam I said hi!" Cas called back.

"Tell him yourself!"

Cas chuckled, then fell back onto his bed and sighed. If only Dean knew that Cas loved him too.

 

**~~**

  
"What the hell, Sam?!" Dean whisper-yelled as he approached his little brother, who was currently sitting cross armed and frowning, outside the principles office. Sam's head snapped up, and Dean frowned at the sight of his little brother's bruised eye.  
  
"Dean, thank god. Please get me out of here!" Sam begged.

"Not so fast Mr Winchester." A voice called from behind the office door. Dean raised his eyebrows in curiosity, and Sam rolled his eyes and sat back down.  
There was a small creak and then suddenly, Sam's principle, Mr Carter, was standing at the doorway, a smug look on his face. Mr Carter nodded in Dean's direction.

"I'm going to take it that you're Sam's father, John?" he asked, eyeing Dean up and down.

Dean looked from Sam to Mr Carter, then back to Sam. Sam's eyes were almost falling out of his eyes, desperately hoping he'd go along with it.

"Uh," Dean cleared his throat, "Y-yes! I'm, uh, Sam's father... John. Hi." Dean stuttered, holding out his hand.

Idiot. Sam thought. Mr Carter looked at Dean curiously, then stepped aside, signaling for both the brother's to come in. Dean shot Sam the evils, he hated situations like these. The brothers shuffled in awkwardly, and Dean wished he hadn't picked up the phone. Maybe then, he and Cas would've- No. He couldn't think about that. Cas would never talk to him again if Dean pulled a move on him.

"Four after school detentions, one Saturday detention, three assignments handed in late, your little rumble in the cafeteria and you're failing English. All in the space of 6 months? This is one hefty file you have here, Sam." Sam lowered his gaze to the floor, and started biting his knuckles; something he only did when he was either anxious or scared.

Dean's eyes grew wide, he wasn't exactly a model student in high school, but hearing this about Sam, the boy who always got straight A's and never once got a detention, shocked him.

"Do you have anything to say for yourself, Sam?" Mr Carter asked, a smug look on his face.

Sam looked at Dean, then looked back at Mr Carter.

"No, not really." Sam mumbled.

"Sam is very sorry about his behavior lately," Dean said quickly, "And won't be handing in anymore assignments after the due date. Right, Sam?"

Sam looked up at his brother, their eyes meeting for a brief second before he shifted his gaze to Mr Carter.

"Yes. I'm really sorry, Mr Carter. And I'll make sure that I hand everything in on time."

Dean couldn't help but feel for the kid. Sam basically lived between houses; the family house when their father was home, and Dean's apartment when their father was absent, which was all the time, according to Sam. Mr Carter smiled, and nodded his head towards Sam. Mr Carter liked Sam; he was always very polite and never gave any of his staff grief, which is all a principle could ask for.

"Your suspension will last for four days, and then you can come back. You're free to go." Mr Carter stood up, and so did the boys.

"Uh, Mr Carter?" Mumbled Sam, who stopped walking just as Dean had left the room, "Is it possible for all my school work to be sent home each day after school? I just don't really want to miss out on anything... considering the whole issue about handing in my assignments late."

Mr Carter smiled, and nodded his head. "I'll have one of the student tutor's drop it off for you."

"Sammy! Times a wasting!" Dean called from outside the office.

"Thanks; I'll see you in four days I guess." Sam shuffled out of the room and quickly caught up to Dean, who was chatting up the office lady. _Of course_ , Sam thought.

When they finally reached the car, Sam swung the passenger door open and hopped in. John, their father, had given Dean the black 1967 Chevrolet Impala for his 18th birthday present last year. Needless to say, that car was the only thing Dean was really committed too.

"Take it easy, Sammy. No need to the slam the doors." Dean said as he slid into the drivers seat.

"Can we please just leave? This place gives me a headache." Sam whined.

"What do you mean? You love school."

Sam scoffed, "Loved. Past tense."

Dean shrugged him off and turned his eyes back to the road. It was late afternoon and the sun shone through the drivers side window, lighting up Dean's expressionless face. You can't tell much about Dean just by looking at him, he's so good at hiding his emotions you start to wonder if there's even really anyone in there at all. They reached home at around 4:30pm and Sam rushed into the house as if his life depended on it. Dean followed suit, checking his phone for any new messages.

_Dad: Trip got extended till Friday. Watch out for Sammy._

Dean scoffed and shoved his phone back into his pocket and headed inside. His apartment smelt of alcohol, cologne and apple pie. At least it didn't smell as bad as it looked. Dean's clothes were basically everywhere; they were clean, he just could never be bothered putting any of them away.

"Sam, get out here!" Dean called, as he pulled a can of beer from the fridge.

Sam appeared from his room and raised his eye brows at Dean, "What?"

"Don't _what_ me. Come here."

Sam made his way over to the counter and took a seat on one of the bar stools across from Dean. Dean pulled the tab on his can, and the sound of a pop and a hiss filled the room.

"You going to tell me what's going on?" Dean ran his finger of Sam's bruised eye and then walked over to the freezer.

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"Oh c'mon, Sammy. Detentions? Fighting? That isn't you." Dean pulled out a bag of frozen peas, and threw it on the counter.

Sam looked down at his hands, then back to Dean. He grabbed the bag and placed it over his eyes.

"I don't know, Dean. I just- I miss being a family I guess. Dad's always away on business trips and Mom..." Sam drifted off.

Dean's jaw clenched, and he felt a lump forming in the back of his throat.

"And you're always out partying and screwing girls. I mean, Cas is here more than you are and it's not even his house."

Dean furrowed his eye brows, and cleared his throat. Tears were starting to form in Sam's eyes and Dean's face turned from annoyed to concerned.

"Hey, hey Sammy, look at me." Dean whispered. Sam looked up and stared straight into his eyes.

"I'm sorry that I'm not always around, and I'm sorry that Dad isn't here most of the time either. But I promise that'll change okay? Well I can't promise anything on Dad's behalf but I can promise you that I'll be home more often, alright?"

"Alright, Dean. But no more bringing home random girls, okay? They always hit on me while you're in the shower." Sam sighed.

Dean laughed, "Alright, no more girls. Done."

"Oh and none of your stupid football friends either; they eat all the food and are even messier than you, though I'm not entirely sure how that's possible." Sam frowned.

"So the only person aloud around here is-"

"Is Castiel. That okay?"

"Of course that's okay." Dean said a little too enthusiastically.

"So we got a deal?" asked Sam.

Dean grabbed Sam's hand and they both shook, "Deal" confirmed Dean.

"Great! Now I have a book report to write, so I'll see you for dinner." Sam headed back to his room.

"Nerd." Dean mumbled.

Dean finished off his beer and wandered over to the couch. He really needed to do something about those clothes. He settled back into the couch and tilted his back so he was looking at the ceiling. He liked it when Sam was here; the apartment felt less empty, less lonely. Sure, Dean's football friends were over often, but he could never relax with them around, he was always on edge. Dean let out a heavy sigh and closed his eyes. He wondered how long it had been since he'd last been himself; he fell asleep trying to remember.


	2. Dinner Plans

**Chapter 2**

 

"So how was dinner?"

It was 11:30 am and Dean and Castiel were currently sitting in Cas' pre-med lecture, and Cas almost groaned out loud thinking about last night.

"That bad, huh?" Dean asked, pulling a piece of paper from Cas' notebook.

"What- No, it was fine." Cas lied.

"Are you kidding me, Cas? That dinner was grade A bad."

Dean folded the piece of paper into an airplane and threw it down the lecture hall.

"Ow!" someone yelled from further down.

Dean slid down into his chair and pulled his hood over his head. Cas smiled, he always found Dean's childish ways somewhat cute.

"How'd you know?" Cas asked.

Dean was right; the dinner was bad, really bad.

"You get this crinkle above your eye when you lie." Dean mumbled, he was busy texting someone.

"Really?" Cas questioned, feeling his forehead.

Dean frowned, thinking what he said was lame and obvious.

"I guess so; I don't know."

Cas shrugged and turned back to the front; Cas had three pre-med lectures, and two engineering lectures a week. He was lucky enough to come from a wealthy family to not have to worry about working and needing extra money; so was Dean.

"Aren't you supposed to be in your Sport Science lecture right now?"

"Yup." Dean confirmed.

"So why are you here?" Cas questioned.

"It's boring, and for some reason I thought that-" Dean looked down at the projector, "Intro to Organic Chemistry, would be fun; But I don't know where the hell I got that idea from."

Cas chuckled quietly, and put his hand over Dean's phone screen.

"It's not that bad you know?" he smiled, leaning in closer to Dean.

Dean felt his breath hitch in his throat; Cas being this close was both a blessing and a curse. Dean was starting to get hot. He coughed, clearing his throat.

"Whatever you say, bookworm." Dean said, pulling his phone out from under Cas' hand.

Cas looked down at his watch; he had 10 minutes left. Cas' thoughts drifted back to last night, where he and his father got into a heated arguement over Cas wanting to change his pre-med major to an art major. He wanted so bad for his father to understand that Cas would be so much happier studying art, not pre-med or engineering like his father wanted him too.

"Hey Dean?"

"Mm" Dean mumbled

"Can you two shut up?" a guy said from below them.

Dean looked up from his phone and frowned.

"Hey pal, you talk again and I'll put that calculator of yours where the sun don't shine."

Cas tried to stifle a laugh as the other guy turned back to the front and shrunk into his seat.

"Nice class mates you got here, Cas." Dean said sarcastically, "But hey, what were you going to say?"

"Well I was going too-"

"Alright everyone, that's it. See you all tomorrow!" Cas' professor called out across the hall.

Dean sighed in relief and shoved his phone in his pocket. He could've left anytime he wanted, but he stayed for Cas.

"Smell you later." he yelled back.

Cas laughed, and gathered his things.

"Cas, buddy. I have a few things I need to do but dinner at mine tonight?"

Cas nodded, and followed Dean out and into the courtyard. The mid-day sun danced across Cas' face and Dean stared in awe at the perfection that was currently admiring the sky.

"Sure Dean, are you cooking?" Cas replied.

Dean quickly averted his gaze.

"Cooking? That's what take-out is for, Cas." Cas smiled and the men laughed.

Dean's eyes were locked on Cas' lips, and he smiled at the thought of kissing them.

"Dean?" Cas' voice interrupted Dean's thoughts, and Dean looked down at his watch.

"I have to run but I'll see you tonight! Oh and we're talking about that dinner, Cas!" Dean called as he started running towards the parking lot.

"Okay, Dean. See you!" Cas turned back to the sky, and watched the clouds move.

His thoughts traveled back to the last afternoon before the start of his Senior year in High School, where he and Dean sat with their backs against a brick wall.

_"Can't believe I made it to Senior year." Dean laughed_

_"_ _You reckon anything will change?" Dean looked at Cas and smiled._

_"_ _Do you want anything to change?" Dean asked._

_Cas looked at Dean, and saw a hint of calmness in his eyes. Dean was care-free for the first time in a long time. He wasn't worrying about college, or SAT's; no, he was completely worry free._

_"I think everything's fine just the way it is._ " _Cas smiled._

Cas glanced down at his watch: 12:25. He was supposed to be on his way to his engineering lecture, but instead he was standing awkwardly in the court yard thinking about a boy who had probably never thought twice about him in his entire life. Cas thought about telling Dean how he felt; he thought about it so much it made his head hurt. But when it came down to it, Cas was too in love with Dean to lose him. Even if that meant staying best-friends forever.

 

**~~**

 

Back at Dean's apartment, Sam was rummaging around the living room trying to find his Physics text book. His dark brown locks were a mess and all he was wearing were a pair of boxes and his lacrosse hoodie.

"Mental note. Tell Dean to start putting his clothes away or I'll burn them." He mumbled to himself.

Sam really didn't mind the mess though, and sometimes he actually enjoyed coming home to a house that looked like it had people living in it. His father's house was always quiet and lonely, and Sam hated staying there, period. But at Dean's, there was always something to talk about or fight over, and Dean always made Sam breakfast and reminded him to take a shower. It was the little things Dean did that Sam appreciated the most. The point was that Sam felt more at home in Dean's messy, crowded apartment than he ever did in his own home. And that said something. Suddenly there was a short knock at the door. He stared at the door curiously, he wasn't expecting anyone. He headed towards the door and peered through the peephole.

"Who the hell." He mumbled, as a girl around his age stood awkwardly waiting.

Sam unlocked the door and opened it slowly.

"Uh, hi." He said.

"Hi! Sam, right?" She asked, holding out her hand.

"Yeah, that's me." Sam took her hand.

"So you're the guy everyone's talking about, huh?" she smirked Sam raised an eyebrow.

"The guy with the wicked right hook?"

Sam laughed, "So that's what they're saying, good to know."

Jess smiled, and pulled her school bag from off her back.

"I'm Jess, from school. I'm president of the tutoring club; I'm just dropping by to hand over today's work from English and Physics." Jess pulled a few papers and a text book from her bag and handed them to Sam, who was still busy trying to recognize her face.

Jess was a little shorter than Sam, and had beautiful blonde hair that framed her face perfectly.

"I was going to email everything through, but my scanner is broken and my laptop is in the shop." she said quickly.

Sam nodded in understanding.

"Jess?" he asked

"That's me." she confirmed with a smile.

_God she was gorgeous_. Sam thought.

"You're in my English and Physics classes?"

"Sure am."

"Right, okay." Sam stared at her dumbly, and couldn't help but drop his gaze to her lips.

"Well then, I'm going to go. See you tomorrow, Sam. Same time."

Sam glanced down at his watch: 1:30 pm; it's recess at school right now.

"Uh yeah, sure! Same time." He called out.

Jess smiled and started making her way back to her car, before stopping at the mailbox.

"By the way, cute boxes!" she called back.

Sam's eyes shot down to his boxes, and he groaned quietly before shutting the door in embarrassment. He placed the books down on the kitchen counter and frowned. You idiot, he thought. Sam let out a deep sigh, and ran a hand through his messy, brown mop. Dean was always nagging him to get it cut, but Sam never gave in. Sam shuffled onto one of the bar stools and opened up the Physics text book, quickly skimming through the pages contents and then moving on to the next.

Sam was one of the smartest kids in his grade, and was on the schools varsity lacrosse team as a midfielder. Besides having a few close friends, Sam tried to keep to himself at school. The less drama he was in, the better, he thought. The sound of Sam's ringtone echoed through the silent apartment, interrupting Sam. He looked at the caller ID, raised an eyebrow and picked up his phone.

"Dean?" Sam asked curiously.

"Sammy!" Dean called through the phone.

"What's up?" Sam said.

"Are you doing anything right now?"

"Well I was just in the middle of studying-"

"So nothing, great!" Dean interrupted.

Sam rolled his eyes, "What do you want, Dean?" he was getting bored now.

"Can you please clean the house up? Vacuum, wipe a few things down, clear the lounge and all that jazz."

"What? Why?" Sam closed his text book.

"Cas is coming over for dinner." Dean said.

Sam scrunched his nose up, "So? Cas always comes around for dinner?"

"Just clean the house, Sam."

"You proposing to the guy or something?" Sam laughed.

"Ha Ha" Dean said sarcastically, "Just do it."

In the background, Sam heard someone calling Dean's last name.

"Dean, where are you?"

There was a bit of crackling and then Dean spoke again.

"I have to go, Sammy! See you tonight!"

Before Sam could get a word in, the line went dead. Sam put his phone back down on the kitchen counter and sighed heavily.

"Great." he grumbled.

Sam wondered why Dean was so sure of having the house clean for dinner tonight; Cas always came around for dinner and Sam wasn't even sure if Cas had ever seen Dean's apartment clean. Dean had been acting all kinds of weird lately, Sam thought. Sam shrugged it off and walked over to the hallway cupboard and pulled out the vacuum. He thought about calling up one of his friends to see if they wanted to go down to the local diner for dinner, and leave Dean to deal with the mess and dinner. But he liked it when Cas came over; the apartment felt complete and they all looked like a happy little family. Sam grabbed his phone and his earphones, and put on some music.

"Dean better appreciate this." he mumbled.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey all! I'm so sorry about the lateness of this chapter, and I know it isn't very long; I apologize for that too! I promise the story will start developing properly soon, and I also promise to upload faster and more frequently. The title "Good Times Bad Times" is most probably temporary, and as the story continues, I'll most likely come up with something else! Thank you for reading so far!


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